No people, no problem for reclusive forest dwellers in Belarus

The Nishcha River is seen near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

YUKHOVICHI, Belarus (Reuters) - Tamara and Yuri Baikov knew it was time to move away from their village when one of their ducks wandered into a neighbor's plot of land, only to return with a wire deliberately threaded through its beak.

Since then, the husband and wife have lived for more than a quarter of a century in a primitive hut in a forest in northeastern Belarus, close to the Russian border.

Tamara Baikov, 69, looks into a stove inside her hut in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

"There are no people - there is no conflict," said Tamara Baikov, who says she loves weeding her vegetable patch and would rather plow a hectare of land than venture to a city.

Life is simple for the two 69-year-olds. There is no electricity, so they read by torchlight. They take the water they need from the river and cook with a wood-burning stove.

Their chickens and ducks provide them with meat and eggs. Their goats give them milk and cottage cheese. Manure is their only fertilizer for growing potatoes and vegetables.

Yuri Baikov, 69, checks on goats at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Daughter Veronika is their main contact with the outside world. She brings any additional supplies they might need from a store, and also sells their produce to generate some income.

"Our Veronika sells all this in neighboring Russia. Plus a pension, we have enough to live on," Yuri said. "We cannot leave our animals and birds even for a day - and we don't want to."

They live on a small farm they built in 1992. The nearest Belarussian village, Yukhovichi, is 15 km (9 miles) away, while Russia is a few hundred meters across the river.

Food boxes lie on shelves inside the hut of Tamara and Yuri Baikov situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

They used to live in Yukhovichi as farmers, keeping cows and poultry. But dwelling near other people did not suit them -- the injured duck was one example.

In late 1991, the local authorities gave them a piece of land in the forest and one night in May 1992, they left together with Veronika, five cows, some groceries, tools and nails.

They spent the first few nights under a linden tree, covering themselves in plastic sheets for warmth.

Yuri Baikov, 69, is followed by his dogs at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Veronika grew up and eventually moved beyond the river to a village in Russia called Davostsy. She now has a 16-year-old daughter of her own called Angelina.

Tamara and Yuri stayed in the cramped hut that was initially intended as a temporary shelter. They had planned to build a proper house, but a lack of money and bureaucratic hassles prevented them from doing so.

They like to listen to Russian radio stations to keep up with world news. But mostly they enjoy the solitude.

Goats walk in a field at a small farm belonging to Tamara and her husband Yuri Baikov, both 69, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

"Silence is very good - only grandma is not silent, she talks a lot," Yuri joked, referring to his wife.

For a photo essay, click on: https://reut.rs/2OGbnuM

Tamara Baikov, 69, sits in her hut situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

(Writing by Matthias Williams; Editing by Alison Williams)

Yuri Baikov, 69, brushes his teeth at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, pour goats' milk at their small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, May 25, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

A hut of Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, is seen at their small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, listens to the news on the radio inside his hut situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, listen to the radio inside their hut situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

An icon hangs on a wall inside the hut of Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Ducklings are seen at a small farm of Tamara and her husband Yuri Baikov, both 69, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, drinks coffee inside his hut situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

The hut where Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, live, is seen under night stars in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

A cat rests near the hut of Tamara and Yuri Baikov at their small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, May 25, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

A dog smells a slaughtered duck at a small farm belonging to Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, his daughter Veronika and her friend unload fodder for poultry at his small farm, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, cuts a hole to take water from frozen river at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Turkeys are seen at a small farm of Yuri and Tamara Baikov, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, speaks with his daughter Veronika at his small farm, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, walks to feed his domesticated birds near his hut, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 20, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, plants tomatoes at his small farm, situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, June 21, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Veronika Baikov, daughter of Yuri and Tamara Baikov, cleans snow off a roof at their farms situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Tamara and Yuri Baikov, both 69, stand outside their hut at a small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, pulls a sledge with hay for animals at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 7, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

Yuri Baikov, 69, cleans a duck at his small farm situated in a forest near the village of Yukhovichi, Belarus, February 8, 2018. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko